North Platte seniors Liam Servaes (#25) and Hayden Gibson (#77) celebrate after a touchdown in the Panthers 30-26 win over Mid-Buchanan.
FAUCETT – Throughout the course of this football season, North Platte (5-1) has been adding tallies in the win column nearly every week with the most recent one being arguably the biggest one yet.
Mid-Buchanan (4-2) has posted a 54-11 record from 2018-2022, being one of the toughest squads North Platte has on its schedule each year. The Dragons knocked the Panthers out of districts last year to win their sixth straight game in the series, but there was a different outcome on Sept. 29.
Mid-Buchanan had scored more than 40 points in eight of the last 11 matchups in the series, dating back to 2013 but that wasn’t the case this year. North Platte led by as much as 15 points and pulled out a 30-26 win, moving to 5-1 for the first time since 2011.
Colton Kirkham rushed for 150 yards on Sept. 29.
The Dragons struck first, going up 7-0 in the opening five minutes of the contest but North Platte senior running back Liam Servaes ran in for two straight touchdowns after that. Servaes broke loose for a 45-yard score late in the first quarter then capped off a 92-yard scoring drive with a 7-yard rush with 6:14 left in the first half.
North Platte entered the locker room with a 14-7 advantage over Mid-Buchanan on its homecoming night. Dylan Armstrong extended that lead with a touchdown and 2-point conversion on the opening drive of the second half.
Mid-Buchanan didn’t go down without a fight, adding a touchdown in the third quarter and cut the lead to 22-20 with 10:29 left in the game. The Panthers faced a 3rd and 11 on the ensuing drive with the danger of giving the ball back and losing the lead, but they didn’t panic.
Colton Kirkham found Jaxson Carpenter who brought in a 65-yard touchdown reception to give North Platte some breathing room. Servaes ran in for the 2-point conversion to push the margin to 30-20 with right over six minutes left in regulation.
North Platte tight end John Winkler breaks a tackle at Mid-Buchanan High School.
Mid-Buchanan put another touchdown on the board, but North Platte held on to beat the rival for the first time since Sept. 1, 2017. This was a big win for the Panthers – who are in Class 1 – as it was their first win over a Missouri Class 2 opponent.
North Platte dominated on the ground as Kirkham ran for 150 yards and Servaes rushed for 101 yards. Defensively, Jesse Williams and Hayden Gibson both recorded a stat in addition to an interception by Carpenter and 17 tackles by Chance Garber.
With three games left in the regular season, North Platte is in a tight race for the No. 1 seed in the Class 1 District 3 Tournament alongside Polo (5-1) and Crest Ridge (5-1). The Panthers will host Lawson (1-5) – another conference rival who North Platte has struggled against in recent years – on Oct. 6.